Richmond University is sorry to announce the passing of alumni James Yeats-Brown
We are very sorry to announce that alumnus James Yeats-Brown who graduated from Richmond in 1983, has passed away after a short illness.
As his academic advisor fondly recalls ‘he was a business major but his heart was in photography’. Indeed James minored in Studio Art and went on to have a rich career as a social, events, and lifestyle photographer specialising in on-location portraits particularly of families and children. His website www.jybphoto.co.uk and blog, The Candid Eye, reflect the high quality of his photographic talent and insight.
James was an adventurer and as a member of the selected student group, participated in the first two International Field Study Projects to Sierra Leone (1982) and Hong Kong & China (1983). The pictures he made on those trips were a foreshadowing of the special visual qualities that he continued to develop and produce throughout his career.
He was a rarity; one of the few English students within Richmond’s international mix. In recollecting James in HK, a lecturer recalls ‘his British sense of humour and cultural inheritance made him a key participant’, and as one of his peers from those Richmond days has said, ‘How lucky we students were to have James interpret all things British to us. He was a kind person and knowing him was a great gift I will cherish forever. ‘
Soon after graduation, James went on to expand his art and business interests by studying at the Victoria & Albert Museum and Sotheby’s (auctioneering), and then working with contemporary design historian Peter Fiell. It was at Sotheby’s that he met his wife Elisabeth. They married in 1991 and have two sons.
In recent years James continued to display his loyalty to and fondness for Richmond. He attended the big London reunion in August 2016 at which people remarked that he hadn’t changed a bit…. still as charming, gentle, witty, and youthful looking as ever.
He is very fondly remembered by his lecturers and peers and holds a special place in our hearts.
There will be a Thanksgiving Service on Tuesday 20th November at 2.30pm at Christ Church Winchester SO23 9SR.
